Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition: E850003-037

Sonnet on approaching Italy: Author: Oscar Wilde

1] I reached the Alps: the soul within me burned,
2] Italia, my Italia, at thy name:
3] And when from out the mountain's heart I came
4] And saw the land for which my life had yearned,
5] I laughed as one who some great prize had earned:
6] And musing on the story of thy fame
7] I watched the day, till marked with wounds of flame
8] The turquoise sky to burnished gold was turned,

9] The pine-trees waved as waves a woman's hair,
10] And in the orchards every twining spray
11] Was breaking into flakes of blossoming foam:
12] But when I knew that far away at Rome
13] In evil bonds a second Peter lay,
14] I wept to see the land so very fair.